1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates to three-wheel, pedaled vehicles, and more particularly, the instant invention relates to three-wheel, pedaled vehicles wherein the vehicles include a pair of front steerable wheels and a single, rear, driving wheel.
2. General Considerations in Prior Art
To date, there has been much experimentation on three-wheel, pedaled vehicles, or tricycles, as replacements for the now universally utilized two-wheel, pedaled vehicle, or bicycle. Bicycles have several drawbacks. Among these drawbacks are low-speed instability, high wind resistance, general discomfort, and an inability to reverse. Prior art approaches have attemped to solve these problems with bicycles, with perhaps the exception of providing a vehicle which can be conveniently pedaled backwards. However, prior art approaches result in vehicles which are extremely expensive and not generally suitable for use in automobile traffic.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,913,929 and 3,921,467 disclose three-wheel, manually-powered vehicles wherein a pair of front wheels are pivoted for steering and a single rear wheel is chain driven by pedals. In these patents, the pedals are elevated with respect to the rider. However, these patents do not disclose a frame structured to resist the complex bending moments applied by the rider. In addition, riders of these vehicles are positioned extremely close to the road and, therefore, have very low visibility in automobile traffic. Not only can riders not see around trucks and automobiles, but trucks and automobiles cannot see them. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,789,831 and 3,429,584 also disclose pedal-operated, three-wheel vehicles with a pair of front wheels used for steering. In each case, steering columns are disclosed as well as rather standard seats with backrests. However, in these patents, the rider is positioned with his body erect, so as to present a large frontal area which increases wind resistance. Moreover, in each of these patents the rider cannot apply as much force against the pedals because the rider's back is not braced against the vehicles.
In none of these references is there disclosed a vehicle which can be pedaled in reverse. If a vehicle is to be parked and maneuvered among crowds of people and other vehicles, then it is important to have a vehicle which can be pedaled not only in reverse but at various speeds in reverse.